Vegetation, fuels, and fire-behavior responses to linear fuel-break treatments in and around burned sagebrush steppe: are we breaking the grass-fire cycle?
Fire Ecology,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
20(1)
Опубликована: Апрель 1, 2024
Abstract
Background
Linear
fuel
breaks
are
being
implemented
to
moderate
fire
behavior
and
improve
wildfire
containment
in
semiarid
landscapes
such
as
the
sagebrush
steppe
of
North
America,
where
extensive
losses
perennial
vegetation
ecosystem
functioning
resulting
from
invasion
by
exotic
annual
grasses
(EAGs)
that
foster
large
recurrent
wildfires.
However,
fuel-break
construction
can
also
pose
EAG
risks,
which
must
be
weighed
against
intended
fire-moderation
benefits
treatments.
We
investigated
how
shrub
reductions
(mowing,
cutting),
pre-emergent
EAG-herbicides,
and/or
drill
seedings
fire-resistant
bunchgrasses
(PBGs)
recently
applied
create
a
system
affected
native
plant
abundances
their
associated
loading
predicted
behavior.
Results
In
heavily
EAG-invaded
areas,
herbicides
reduced
total
herbaceous
cover
without
affecting
PBGs
for
2–3
years
1
year
(from
Fuel
Characteristic
Classification
System).
surviving
post-herbicide
was
still
>
30%,
sufficient
exceed
conventional
1.2-m-flame
length
(FL)
threshold
attempting
suppression
with
hand
tools.
less
invaded
shrubland,
reduction
treatments
largely
height
~
half
increasing
EAGs,
but
then
redistributed
wood
ground
level
increased
cover.
Herbicides
seeding
after
did
not
affect
cover,
although
PBG
forbs
(e.g.,
Russian
thistle).
Fire
moderated
only
one
many
yearly
observations
various
shrub-reduction
treatment
combinations.
Over
all
years,
FLs
were
1.2
m
13%
simulations
under
average
(11
km
h
−1
)
or
high
(47
wind
speed
conditions
3.4-m
uncontrollable
11%
high-wind
speeds
only.
Conclusions
Predicted
over
first
4
break
implementation
modest
variable,
but,
generally,
increases
EAGs
risks
observed.
Nonetheless,
ancillary
evidence
shrublands
would
suggest
treatment-induced
shifts
dominance
expected
active
ways
readily
represented
available
models.
Язык: Английский
Low genetic differentiation across restored and natural populations shortly after a large‐scale, post‐fire seeding in the Great Basin
Restoration Ecology,
Год журнала:
2025,
Номер
unknown
Опубликована: Апрель 2, 2025
Genetic
diversity
is
essential
for
species
to
adapt
environmental
changes.
In
restoration
efforts,
such
as
those
after
large
wildfires
in
the
sagebrush
steppe
of
Great
Basin,
commercially
produced
native
seeds
are
used
revegetate
burned
areas.
While
seed
certification
and
procurement
protocols
assure
that
genetically
appropriate
restoration,
how
post‐fire
seeding
affects
genetic
integrity
wildland
populations
at
landscape
scale
unknown.
To
assess
effects
on
populations,
we
conducted
a
survey
Bluebunch
wheatgrass
(
Pseudoroegneria
spicata
[Pursh]
Á.Löve
ssp.
Spicata
)
within
perimeter
recent
megafire
southeastern
Oregon
southwestern
Idaho,
United
States.
We
genotyped
760
samples
with
10
polymorphic
loci.
found
similar
four
5
years
compared
unseeded
were
either
or
unburned.
Furthermore,
neither
increased
nor
decreased
distance
from
fire's
edge,
suggesting
wind
dispersal
neighboring
remnant
plays
minor
role
immediate
recovery
resprouting
germination
bank.
Though
no
change
was
detected
short
term,
this
variation
provides
an
empirical
baseline
can
be
track
changes
these
over
time.
Язык: Английский
Few forage kochia found in historically seeded fuel breaks in the Northern Great Basin
Arid Land Research and Management,
Год журнала:
2025,
Номер
unknown, С. 1 - 19
Опубликована: Апрель 18, 2025
Язык: Английский
Reliability of satellite-based vegetation maps for planning wildfire-fuel treatments in shrub steppe: Inferences from two contrasting national parks
Journal of Environmental Management,
Год журнала:
2025,
Номер
387, С. 125808 - 125808
Опубликована: Май 24, 2025
Язык: Английский
Multiple plant-community traits improve predictions of later-stage outcomes of restoration drill seedings: Implications for metrics of success
Ecological Indicators,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
167, С. 112693 - 112693
Опубликована: Окт. 1, 2024
Язык: Английский
Edge Effects Along Roadside Fuel Treatments in Sagebrush Steppe
Rangeland Ecology & Management,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
unknown
Опубликована: Окт. 1, 2024
Язык: Английский
Annual grass invasions and wildfire deplete ecosystem carbon storage by >50% to resistant base levels
Communications Earth & Environment,
Год журнала:
2024,
Номер
5(1)
Опубликована: Ноя. 11, 2024
Abstract
Ecological
disturbance
can
affect
carbon
storage
and
stability
is
a
key
consideration
for
managing
lands
to
preserve
or
increase
ecosystem
ameliorate
the
global
greenhouse
gas
problem.
Dryland
soils
are
massive
reservoirs
that
increasingly
impacted
by
species
invasions
altered
fire
regimes,
including
exotic-grass-fire
cycle
in
extensive
sagebrush
steppe
of
North
America.
Direct
measurement
total
1174
samples
from
landscapes
this
region
differed
invasion
wildfire
history
revealed
their
impacts
depleted
soil
42–49%,
primarily
deep
horizons,
which
could
amount
17.1–20.0
Tg
lost
across
~400,000
ha
affected
annually.
Disturbance
effects
on
stocks
were
not
synergistic,
suggesting
was
lowered
floor—i.e.
resistant
base-level—beneath
further
loss
unlikely.
Restoration
maintenance
resilient
dryland
shrublands/rangelands
stabilize
at
magnitudes
relevant
cycle.
Язык: Английский